inconvenience
Americannoun
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inconveniences
plural
-
the quality or state of being inconvenient.
-
an inconvenient circumstance or thing; something that causes discomfort, trouble, etc.
verb (used with object)
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inconveniences,
present (3rd person singular)
-
inconvenienced,
past participle, past
-
inconveniencing
present participle
noun
-
the state or quality of being inconvenient
-
something inconvenient; a hindrance, trouble, or difficulty
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
inconveniencesimple
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inconveniencessimple
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have inconveniencedperfect
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has inconveniencedperfect
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am inconveniencingprogressive
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are inconveniencingprogressive
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is inconveniencingprogressive
-
have been inconveniencingperfect progressive
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has been inconveniencingperfect progressive
Past
-
inconveniencedsimple
-
had inconveniencedperfect
-
was inconveniencingprogressive
-
were inconveniencingprogressive
-
had been inconveniencingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of inconvenience
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word inconvenientia. See in- 3, convenience
Explanation
An inconvenience is an annoying occurrence that makes you go out of your way, like the inconvenience of a detour that takes you off your usual route, or the inconvenience of the door bell ringing just as you are about to take a dish out of the oven. The noun inconvenience, pronounced "in-cun-VEE-nyent," comes from the Latin word inconvenientia, from in-, meaning “not,” and convenient-, meaning “agreeing, fitting.” That meaning still holds true for inconvenience: something that doesn’t fit easily into your life, though it doesn't cause suffering, either. Use it to describe small irritations, like the inconvenience of an airport delay.
Vocabulary lists containing inconvenience
The Giver
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"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 26–31
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“It’s not just an inconvenience for me,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
The vehicle has the zippy initial acceleration common to EVs, but its top speed proved too much of an inconvenience for others: a stream of drivers passed me in the left-hand turn lane.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
"Each boarded a bus heading to the wrong destination. We sincerely apologise to both teams for the inconvenience," said Ayumi Sakamoto.
From Barron's ● Sep. 29, 2026
Hill realises that Cardiff is no stranger to hosting big events, but said "every big event at the Principality Stadium is an inconvenience to the people that live here".
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
He had also frequently been an inconvenience to me.
From "Where Things Come Back" by John Corey Whaley
They have spent all month treating the best pitchers in the sport like minor inconveniences.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
But taken together, thousands of decisions to eliminate small inconveniences can also eliminate opportunities for connection.
From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2026
"We must offer our apologies to the athletes and others affected by these inconveniences," said Mayor Ichiro Hirosawa, who is also acting chairman of the local organising committee.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
In a press conference before landing, Christina Koch said the inconveniences, such as freeze-dried food or a toilet without much privacy, were worth it.
From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026
Mandy lived with us as cook and godmother of our children—and secret performer of small magic to protect us from colds, broken crockery, and the sundry inconveniences of a royal household.
From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine
In both cases, an individual is inconvenienced to improve the overall environment, making it healthier for everyone.
From Salon ● May 1, 2026
However, some ways of being inconvenienced are more draining than others.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 19, 2026
But the crowds and snarled traffic have inconvenienced some including Eric Stein, a Park City resident, who said he can’t wait for the festival to leave town.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 31, 2026
Gray calls this attitude part of “conspicuous resilience,” conflating being temporarily displaced and inconvenienced with being oppressed and vulnerable, leading to the celebration and glorification of a recovery that mostly benefits the few.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2025
“You have considerably inconvenienced us and caused us a great deal of expense we cannot well afford.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
She later apologized to her security detail, secretaries and driver for inconveniencing them by starting at such an early hour.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025
With no workers left, heaps of trash have been overflowing from public bins and dump yards on to the streets, inconveniencing residents.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2025
Aside from inconveniencing other moviegoers as they shuffle past, stepping on toes and grabbing seatbacks after the lights have gone down, they’re missing every single trailer for an upcoming attraction.
From Salon ● May 22, 2025
On Saturday morning, in a two-minute address to the nation, Yoon apologized for inconveniencing the public and said that he had been motivated by “desperation.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 7, 2024
But they no longer had it in them to quietly take the blame and apologize for inconveniencing my life.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
